In the Data Center Frontier article “Why Colocation Density Matters,” author Jerry Blair of DataBank explains why power and rack density are critical considerations in colocation decisions and how they directly affect cost, performance, and availability.
Density refers to the amount of power a colocation facility can deliver per rack and the resulting compute capacity it supports. Higher density enables more servers and networking gear in a smaller footprint, improving computational performance and potentially lowering overall costs by reducing required space. Blair outlines three key density factors: space efficiency, where taller racks (e.g., 48U or 52U versus standard 42U) can significantly shrink physical footprints and improve hardware density; power requirements, driven by modern compute-intensive workloads such as big data and AI that demand higher power usage per rack (often 10 kW+); and cooling infrastructure, essential for managing heat generated at higher densities, often requiring specialized solutions like containment, liquid cooling, or enhanced airflow strategies. Blair also offers a use case where a high-density design cut networking hardware costs by nearly half.
The article concludes that enterprises should engage colocation providers early to understand supported density levels and cooling capabilities, ensuring flexibility as requirements evolve.
